Ensuring safe spaces and environments for training

                                                   By Špela Lampe Cakići

When people ask me what safety in judo means, I don’t picture just mats, warm-ups, or the rules of competition. I see Alexis, a blind boy who trains with us at Judo Club Golovec in Slovenia and who, despite every barrier, earned his yellow belt this June with pride lighting up his face. I think of Luka, a young man with Asperger’s, who didn’t just master judo techniques, he discovered his voice and his confidence. I think of Ana and Eva, two women who came to our dojo after surviving domestic violence, finding strength and solidarity. And I think of Eki, a 26-year-old with a pacemaker in his chest, who moves with quiet determination, reminding us all that resilience doesn’t always roar. For me, safety in judo isn’t only about avoiding injury. It’s about creating a space where people of all backgrounds, stories, and struggles can fall and rise without fear of harm, judgment, or exclusion. It’s not a slogan. It’s our responsibility.

Judo’s deepest philosophy: Mutual welfare as a way of life

Judo teaches us to seek maximum efficiency with mutual benefit, but at Judo Golovec, these aren’t just words. They’re a way of life. Whether I’m watching a six-year-old learning how to fall safely or witnessing the quiet strength of a 75-year-old grandfather training alongside younger generations, the essence remains the same: respect, trust, and connection. Through my work as a certified IJF Judo Manager and communicator of socially sustainable stories, as well as in international projects, I’ve come to understand this truth deeply, safety is the soil where growth takes root. Without it, judo is just movement. With it, it becomes transformation.

JOY – When generations train together

I’ll never forget the first session of our EU-supported project Judo Connecting Older and Younger Generations – JOY. Watching a 10-year-old and a 75-year-old laugh side by side as they learned to move, breathe, and bow together was a moment beyond words. It reminded me that safety is also intergenerational. The older participants felt useful and seen; the young felt valued and trusted. Judo became more than a sport, it became a bridge. In these sessions, many elderly participants said they felt like they were “returning to life.” As part of the JOY project, and together with our consortium partners from eight countries, we are developing a free online tool for judo coaches worldwide to bring intergenerational judo to life. It will be available by the end of 2026 on the IJF Academy platform.

Emotional safety: The courage to be vulnerable

Mental health is a vital part of the well-being of youth, and it has been at the heart of many of our recent projects. Through Inclusion and Volunteering, Combat bullying trough judo, Judo Moral Code, and Feel Great, we witnessed young judoka from across Europe opening up, talking, moving, and healing together. Many arrived burdened by anxiety and low self-esteem. One evening, during a group sharing session, someone softly shared, “I love the intergenerational connection here, it makes me feel I’m not alone and that others face the same struggles as me.” We laughed together, trained together, and supported each other. That’s emotional safety: not just preventing harm, but offering spaces for healing, vulnerability, and genuine belonging. Because safety also means you don’t have to be “typical” to belong here.

Alexis: The blind boy who shows us the meaning of inclusion

One of the most powerful stories I’ve experienced in our dojo over the past two years is that of Alexis, a blind and hearing-impaired boy who trains alongside the regular group. When it came time to prepare him for his belt exam, we realized that traditional, text-based theoretical tests simply wouldn’t work. We converted theory into braille and used Quizlet flashcards to allow his parents to learn through play and verbal explanation. Alexis approached every lesson with trust and courage. He passed his exam not because we lowered expectations, but because we found new ways to teach. His success reminds us: true inclusion isn’t about doing less. It’s about doing things differently. Through Alexis, we all learned to “see” judo in a deeper way.

Safety for Women: From survivors to leaders

I’ve worked closely with women who have survived domestic violence, many silenced for years. In our Judo for Women programme, these women found their footing again. Safety for women in judo isn’t just about mastering technique or self-defence; it’s about sisterhood, safe space, support, and coaches trained to listen and empower. Even more inspiring, our programme ambassadors, Ana and Eva, have remained with the club and now volunteer, as assistant coaches for children, sharing their strength and experience. Through storytelling and digital empowerment, this space transforms fear into freedom and silence into strength.

My WHY

Why do I do all this? Because I’ve seen what happens when people don’t feel safe, when they search for spaces where they can belong and become their best selves. Safe spaces where they can contribute to building better societies, anywhere in the world. I’ve witnessed young people silenced by bullying, girls growing up believing they must shrink to fit in, and people with disabilities being told, “This isn’t for you.” I want judo to say the opposite: This IS for you. You belong here. Judo isn’t just a sport or a test of athleticism. It’s a life philosophy, a soft, steady path and a happy place where everyone can grow, find strength, and feel at home. My mission is clear: to help the global judo community become a place where no one feels like an outsider, and everyone can contribute to a better tomorrow by living judo.

A Call to coaches, leaders, and all of us

Creating safe environments in judo isn’t optional. It’s urgent. Train your coaches. Listen to your participants. Open your doors to those who’ve been left out. Use development projects not just for travel, but for transformation. Judo can do this. We can do this.